Spain (Galicia): Potato production could be reduced by 25% due to flooding recorded during the winter.

The potato production sector in Galicia faces a season marked by a challenging outlook, with an estimated 25% reduction in this year’s harvest. Intense winter rains and prolonged flooding have taken their toll on the crops, which could translate into significant financial losses for producers, according to Unións Agrarias. This situation adds to a recent history of difficulties, such as the 32% drop recorded in 2015 compared to the previous year.

Galicia, responsible for the production of approximately 289,000 tons annually, accounts for 15% of the national total and uses roughly 18,000 hectares, equivalent to 28% of Spain’s land dedicated to potato cultivation. The districts of A Limia, Bergantiños, and Betanzos are the main producing areas, contributing 27% of the sector’s activity.

This year, the outlook is particularly alarming for Galician farmers. Unións Agrarias has expressed its concern about the increase in potato imports, including several from outside the European Union. However, it positively highlighted the measure taken by Mercadona, which decided to remove Israeli potatoes from its stores after being informed of the difficulties facing the local sector.

The problems don’t end there. In addition to the adverse effects of climate change, the sector is struggling with falling farmgate prices and a significant increase in production costs, impacted by the rising prices of fertilizers and fuels related to global conflicts. Sometimes, the price of the product barely reaches 12 cents per kilo, further jeopardizing the economic viability of farmers.

Faced with this critical situation, the farmers’ union has called on the authorities to take stronger action to regulate the entry of imported potatoes. Specifically, they are demanding guarantees that local producers will not be pressured to sell below the cost of production, which would constitute a violation of the Food Chain Law.